EDMUND IRONSIDE, succeeded to the throne of England on the death of his father Ethelred the Unready in 1016, but reigned only seven months; he struggled bravely, and at first successfully, against Canute the Dane, but being defeated, the kingdom ultimately was divided between them (981-1016).

EDOM, or IDUMAEA, a mountainous but not unfertile country, comprising the S. of Judaea and part of the N. of Arabia Petraea, 100 m. long by 20 m. broad, peopled originally by the descendants of Esau, who were ruled by “dukes,” and were bitterly hostile to the Jews.

EDRED, king of the Anglo-Saxons, son of Edward the Elder; subdued Northumbria; had in the end of his reign St. Dunstan for chief adviser; d. 955.

EDRISI, an Arabian geographer, born at Ceuta, in Spain; by request of Roger II. of Sicily wrote an elaborate description of the earth, which held a foremost place amongst mediaeval geographers (1099-1180).

EDUCATION, as conceived of by Ruskin, and alone worthy of the name, “the leading human souls to what is best, and making what is best out of them”; and attained, “not by telling a man what he knew not, but by making him what he was not.”

EDUI, an ancient Gallic tribe, whose capital was Bibracte (Autun).

EDWARD, THOMAS, naturalist, born at Gosport; bred a shoemaker; settled in Banff, where he devoted his leisure to the study of animal nature, and collected numerous specimens of animals, which he stuffed and exhibited, but with pecuniary loss; the Queen’s attention being called to his case, settled on him an annual pension of L50, while the citizens of Aberdeen presented him in March 1877 with a gift of 130 sovereigns, on which occasion he made a characteristic speech (1814-1886).

EDWARD I., surnamed Longshanks, king of England, born at Westminster, son of Henry III., married ELEANOR (q. v.) of Castile; came first into prominence in the Barons’ War; defeated the nobles at Evesham, and liberated his father; joined the last Crusade in 1270, and distinguished himself at Acre; returned to England in 1274 to assume the crown, having been two years previously proclaimed king; during his reign the ascendency of the Church and the nobles received a check, the growing aspiration of the people for a larger share in the affairs of the nation was met by an extended franchise, while the right of Parliament to regulate taxation was recognised; under his reign Wales was finally subdued and annexed to England, and a temporary conquest of Scotland was achieved (1239-1307).

EDWARD II., king of England (1307-1327), son of the preceding; was first Prince of Wales, being born at Carnarvon; being a weakling was governed by favourites, Gaveston and the Spencers, whose influence, as foreigners and unpatriotic, offended the barons, who rose against him; in 1314 Scotland rose in arms under Bruce, and an ill-fated expedition under him ended in the crushing defeat at Bannockburn; in 1327 he was deposed, and was brutally murdered in Berkeley Castle (1284-1327).